Pakistan: President signs women protection bill, making it a law
By NNN-APP,
Karachi : President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed the bill, providing for increased punishment over harassment of women at workplaces.
The Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2009” Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2009 amends both the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, “increasing the punishment for the crime up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 500,000.
The President signed the bill in the presence of a large number of women hailing from different sections of the society.
Three women to manage Pennagaram bypoll
By IANS,
Chennai: Three women bureaucrats will manage the March 27 byelection to the Pennagarm assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu.
Dharmapuri District Collector and District Electoral Officer P. Amudha, Returning Officer Maheswari Ravikumar and Deputy Suprintendent of Police Panchavarnam will be managing the byelection for the constituency, for which filing of nominations has started.
The run-up to the bypoll attracted attention when around 20,000 voters were ordered to be added to the electoral list just before the declaration of the byelection schedule.
Women’s bill moved, torn to shreds in Rajya Sabha
By IANS,
New Delhi : A historic bill that promises to reserve 33 percent of legislative seats for women was moved in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament, amid unruly scenes as a dozen members opposing it tore up the document and hurled them at chairman Hamid Ansari.
This happened on a day when both houses assembled to calls to "celebrate and honour women" and include them in the decision making process to mark the International Day of Women being observed worldwide.
Lok Sabha adjourned over women’s bill
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Monday noon after MPs from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) noisily opposed the Women's Reservation Bill that seeks to reserve a third of seats for women in all legislatures.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD president Lalu Prasad joined their party MPs in raising slogans as the speaker tried to continue the question hour amid the din.
Sharad Joshi lone dissenter against women’s quota bill
By IANS,
New Delhi: Sharad Joshi, a prominent farmers' leader from Maharashtra, was the lone dissenter against the women's quota bill during voting in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday, saying he didn't oppose the measure but the manner in which it would be implemented.
"Women's reservations yes, yes, yes, yes. Rotation (of constitutions) and (their) selection by lottery no, no, no," Joshi maintained while participating in the more than three-hour debate on the bill.
Thus, when the bill was put to a voice vote, Joshi let the crescendo of "ayes" to subside before quietly saying "No".
Court orders Permanent Commission for women in army, air force
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Friday ordered the grant of Permanent Commission in the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) to over 50 women officers who had accused the government of discrimination vis-a-vis their male counterparts.
A division bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and M.P. Garg also ordered the reinstatement of all Short Service Commission women officers who retired and approached the court seeking Permanent Commission in the forces.
India’s women’s bill inspiring for Africa: Ghana minister
By Manish Chand, IANS,
New Delhi : India's experiment with gender equality in parliament through the women's reservation bill has struck a chord in Africa, says Ghana's Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh.
"I hope this legislation goes through. It's inspiring for women everywhere, including in Africa," Tetteh, one of the seven women ministers in the West African country and a firm backer of stronger India-Africa ties, told IANS in an interview.
A lawyer by profession and an aide to Ghana President John Atta-Mills, Tetteh was here to attend a business conclave.
No women as officers of border forces, says government
By IANS,
New Delhi : Women cannot be appointed as officers in the three border guarding forces -- Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), according to the union home ministry's latest rules.
This is despite the fact that the same recruitment rules provide for recruitment of women officers in the country's largest central paramilitary force under the home ministry - Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) - and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Apex court anguished over Rs.80 pension to major’s widow
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday voiced dismay over a paltry Rs.80 pension being paid to the octogenarian widow of an Indian Army Major who fought in the 1962 and 1965 wars.
Chinese women now initiate majority of divorces
By IANS,
Beijing: Women in China are now taking the lead in filing for divorce, with 70 percent of cases initiated by wives in 2010.
Women writers spice up thriller scene
(March 8 is International Women's Day)
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
Women’s rights being violated in India’s surrogacy capital
By IANS,
New Delhi : A study by the New Delhi-based Centre for Social Research (CSR) has pointed to a grave violation of the women's rights at India's surrogacy hub, Anand in Gujarat.
Assam to raise task force to deal with crime against women
By IANS,
Guwahati: Assam will soon form a task force to deal with the rising crimes against women across the state.
Ten percent women in Saudi parliament
By IANS,
Riyadh : For the first time, women will represent 10 percent of the 150 seats of the Saudi Shura, or consultative council, in the coming legislative term, Xinhua reported.
India’s women: Big strides but a long way to go
(March 8 is International Women's Day)
By Sreeparna Chakrabarty, IANS,
Tripura women assembly members sworn in on International Women’s Day
By IANS,
Agartala : Five newly-elected women members were sworn-in in the new Tripura assembly on International Women's Day Friday.
Modi flays governor over women’s reservation
By IANS,
New Delhi : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Monday criticised Governor Kamla Beniwal for not signing a legislation reserving 50 percent of all seats in local bodies to women.
Nirbhaya Fund gets additional Rs.1,000 crore
By IANS,
New Delhi : To ensure dignity and safety of women, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday allocated an additional Rs.1,000 crore for the...
Women’s groups demand passage of women’s reservation bill
By IANS,
New Delhi : Different women's groups, demanding the passage of the women's reservation bill, staged a protest outside Parliament House Thursday.
Domestic violence – most destructive war within us
By Shahnoor Rahman,
I remember, on 26th June 2011 when I was in second year MBBS in Gauhati Medical College, while passing through the postmortem ward, I had fainted when I saw the corpse of a woman slaughtered by her husband as he suspected her of adultery.
Delhi HC upholds death sentences in Dec 16 gang-rape
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Thursday upheld the death sentences awarded to four convicts in the Dec 16, 2012 gang-rape.
A division bench...
Dec 16 gang rape timeline
A woman was brutally raped by six people Dec 16, 2012, night in a moving private bus in the national capital. She later died...
Women’s panchayat in Varanasi
By TCN News,
Varanasi, UP: A Mahila Panchayat (women’s assembly) was organised by U.P Khudai Khidmatgar team Nargis bahan and Faisal Khan from central team .
Tripura opens toll-free helpline for women in distress
Agartala: The Tripura Police, as part of its initiatives to curb rising atrocities and crimes against women, has launched a toll-free helpline for women...
Delhi LS candidate booked for molestation
New Delhi: A 55-year-old Lok Sabha candidate from Delhi has been booked for molesting and misbehaving with an on-duty woman traffic constable Thursday evening,...
Aherkheri residents prefer slums over newly-built flats
By Vanya Mehta, TwoCircles.net
Rows of newly-constructed four-story buildings stand in stark contrast to the slums around it in Aherkheri area of Indore. One would think that slums are there to serve the people who live in these buildings, but these structures were built for the slum-dwellers themselves. An initiative of Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) these buildings were constructed in late 2012 in one of several slum relocation projects throughout the city.
Three Indians accused of pushing woman into prostitution
Dubai : Three expatriate Indians have been accused of forcing a woman into the flesh trade on the pretext of giving her a job...
Bodies of missing woman, minor daughters found in Kolkata
Kolkata: The bodies of a 37-year-old woman and her two minor daughters who had gone missing nearly a fortnight ago were recovered from inside...
People talking of women’s security are snooping on them: Priyanka
Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh): For the second consecutive day, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday targeted the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Speaking at...
Irom Sharmila tells court she wants to settle in life
New Delhi : Human rights activist Irom Sharmila Wednesday told a court hearing a case of attempted suicide during her fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar...
Water cannons used against BJP women supporters in Lucknow
Lucknow : Police Monday used water cannons to disperse hundreds of BJP women supporters who wanted to march to the chief minister's office here...
Girl in Delhi thwarts rape bid by three men
New Delhi: A 19-year-old girl saved herself from being a gang rape victim, fought back three of her neighbours who forcibly took her to...
1,800 trained Indian nurses recruited in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's health ministry has recruited 1,800 Indian nurses to work in various government hospitals, a media report said.
The new nurses would assume...
Framing of charges ordered against man for assaulting northeastern woman
New Delhi: A court has ordered the framing of charges against a man who was arrested for molesting and assaulting a woman from northeast...
Sania Mirza breaks into top-5 for first time
New Delhi: India's tennis star Sania Mirza Monday broke into the top-five of the doubles WTA rankings for the first time in her career.
Sania...
Akhilesh gets luxury cars, but cuts budget for women’s panel
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow : As women's safety continues to be a cause for concern in Uttar Pradesh, here's a shocker: An activist has found...
Amend Juvenile Justice Act: NCW chairperson
New Delhi : Pressing for a debate on the issue of juveniles who commit rape, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma Wednesday...
Women can be safe with technology usage: Lekhi
New Delhi : Is there anything called work-life balance? Are women respected enough in the society? Women are vulnerable to physical and mental exploitations...
Acid thrown on woman, child in Bengal; husband held
Kolkata:A woman and her infant child have been injured in an acid attack in Birbhum district in West Bengal, police said Monday.
The victim's estranged...
Shun sympathy for offenders in crimes against women, says SC
New Delhi : Courts should shun adopting a liberal and sympathetic approach in awarding lesser sentences for offences against women as it defeats the...
In Haryana, older women beat men voters in numbers
By Jaideep Sarin,
Chandigarh : As they grow older, women voters in Haryana get the better of men - numerically speaking.
In the 70-years plus age...
Responsibilities must be shared to prevent trafficking: NCW chief
New Delhi: The state alone can't prevent trafficking and people must get together to fight the stigma associated with it at the grassroot level...
Three Russian women drown off Goa coast
Panaji: Three Russian women tourists drowned while on a boating excursion to see dolphins in the sea off Goa, police said Tuesday.
The incident took...
Saudi Arabia appoints woman to lead Ebola fight
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has appointed a woman, Tamara Tayeb, to lead the country's fight against the Ebola virus disease, media reported Friday.
Deputy Commander...
Centre to launch three-day campaign for better women’s health
New Delhi : The union health ministry will launch a three-day nationwide campaign for ensuring better health for women, it was announced here Thursday.
The...
Woman donates body to AIIMS for research
New Delhi : A 67-year-old woman has become one of the oldest cadaver donors at the AIIMS, authorities said on Tuesday.
Darshana Arora, a resident...
Vijayawada nurse died while attacking friend with acid
Vijayawada: In a dramatic twist to a case relating to the death of a woman in an alleged acid attack, police investigations have revealed...
Kumar Vishwas’ case handed over to police: DCW chief
New Delhi : Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Barkha Singh on Thursday sought to clarify that the case of Aam Aadmi Party leader...
Khobragade reinstated as director in MEA
New Delhi : Devyani Khobragade, the 1999-batch IFS officer whose arrest and handcuffing in New York in 2013 over alleged visa fraud led to...
Woman’s hand cut off in MP for resisting advances
Satna (Madhya Pradesh): A woman in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district was left critically injured when a man enraged at her resisting his advances attacked...
Tantrik held in Delhi for raping woman
New Delhi : A tantrik has been arrested here for allegedly raping a 23-year-old woman after threatening to kill her brothers by using "black...
Quota for women must respect social divide, say some MPs
By Rajeev Ranjan Roy, IANS,
New Delhi : The purpose of reserving seats for women in legislatures will be defeated if these are not earmarked for different social strata, say supporters of reservation along caste lines.
In support of their argument, they say there are only 11 woman Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) members in parliament now although the total seats reserved for these two groups is 120 and 79 respectively.
Woman makes large donation for Myanmar cyclone victims
By DPA,
Singapore : A woman eager to show her son how donations are made turned over 100,000 Singapore dollars ($74,000) for victims of the cyclone in Myanmar, the Sunday Times said.
In her 40s, the woman went to the Red Cross House and asked how she could help. She then took out of her handbag a wad of 1,000-Singapore-dollar ($740) notes, totaling 50,000 Singapore dollars ($37,000), tied together with a rubber band.
While the workers were thanking her, the woman took out another wad, saying: "Here's another 50,000."
Survey: Work, family remain difficult choice for Indian women
By Xinhua,
New Delhi : Work and family life remain a difficult choice to be reckoned with for the Indian women, according to a recent survey released here.
The survey "Through the magnifying glass: women's work and labor force participation in urban Delhi" carried out by the Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST), a non-profit non-governmental organization, took a representative sample of 700 households all over Delhi, Hindustan Times reported.
When tremor hits, femininity shines
By Zhan Yan, Xinhua,
Beijing : When William Shakespeare wrote "frailty, thy name is woman," he may have no idea what women could do at times of extreme adversity.
As the 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest China's Sichuan province May 12, it let out not only the devastating power from the depth of the earth, but also the incredible strength within women.
A two-month-old girl baby was found on the day of the quake under the ruins in Longwan village in Beichuan county. She survived because she was shielded by her mother, who died protecting her.
Government for harsher punishment for throwing acid on women
By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Monday informed the Supreme Court it was willing to amend penal laws to provide for harsher punishment for throwing acid on women - a crime the apex court has described as "worse than murder".
Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran told the bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan that unlike as in the normal penal laws, the government even wanted to put the onus on the person accused of throwing acid to prove his innocence.
Indian-Canadians outraged by overturning of Reena Virk murder verdict
By IANS,
Vancouver : The Indian-Canadian community here has been outraged by a court's decision to overturn the life sentence of a woman convicted for brutally beating and drowning Indian origin teenager Reena Virk in 1997.
The beating and drowning of the 14-year-old girl in Victoria near here by Kelly Ellard and her friends made international headlines and shook Canadians.
The Indian-Canadian community was jolted again Friday when the British Columbia Court of Appeal here overturned Ellard's conviction and ordered a retrial.
Relative arrested for murder of MGR kin
By IANS,
Chennai : A woman was remanded to judicial custody Monday for allegedly masterminding the murder of her relative, Vijay Kumar, a kin of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M.G. Ramachandran, the police said.
"Sustained investigation revealed that Bhanumati, Vijay Kumar's sister-in-law, enlisted the services of a police constable, Karuna, 39, who in turn hired other mercenaries who killed the deceased on June 4. The motive was a dispute over control on property left behind by the late chief minister," Archana Ramasundaram, additional director general of police, told reporters.
No woman to vie for Panjab University students union president
By Alkesh Sharma, IANS,
Chandigarh : Seventy percent of the students in Panjab University (PU) are women, but in the last three decades its students union has never had a woman president. Nor will it this year, as all candidates for the president's post in the Friday poll are men.
Women have contested and have been elected for the posts of vice-president and secretary, but not for the top post.
In twilight of their lives, they look for life partner
By Rafat Quadri, IANS,
Ahmedabad : They were in their 50s, 60s and even in their 70s. With love and longing in their hearts and dressed in their best clothes, hundreds of elderly men and women from various parts of Gujarat gathered here to look for a suitable match.
The 75 women and 700 men, many of them lonely in the twilight of their lives, offered their bio-data as prospective marriage candidates at the unique function in Town Hall here.
One woman shot dead by police in New Zealand hostage incident
By Xinhua,
Wellington : One woman was shot dead by police during a hostage incident in the New Zealand northern city of Whangarei on Thursday.
Police said the woman, aged in her mid 30s, entered a shop on Reyburn Street on Thursday morning, carrying what they believe was a firearm, Radio New Zealand reported.
The shop owner alerted the police and the armed offenders squad was called.
It was believed the woman knew a person working in the shop.
German rape victim’s mother asked to give income details
By IANS,
Panaji : The Goa police have been harassing the mother of a raped minor German girl, asking her to provide details not relevant to the case, her lawyer said here Monday.
"She has been asked to give details of her daily activities, her business details, source of income and vehicles purchased in Goa. These things are not relevant to the case," lawyer Aires Rodrigues told reporters.
The Calangute police, probing the offence, have given the mother a two-day notice to come forward with details, he said.
Uttar Pradesh tops in crimes against women: minister
By IANS,
New Delhi : The national capital is second only to Uttar Pradesh in crime against women cases, Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury informed the Lok Sabha Friday.
Renuka Chowdhury, citing data provided by the National Commission for Women (NCW), said the total number of such cases in Delhi in 2008 stood at 724.
The NCW put the total number of cases, including rape, torture for dowry and harassment against women, in Uttar Pradesh at 2,381. It is the highest in the country in 2008.
More women joined politics in 2008, says a global report
United Nations, March 6 (Prensa Latina) The 143-member Inter-Parliamentarian Union Thursday said the number of women occupying seats in the legislative institutions worldwide reached record levels in 2008, with one out of every five elected members was woman.
The Women in Parliament 2008 report released by the union said of the 12,879 seats in 66 parliaments in 54 countries last year, women occupied 2,656 seats, or 20.6 percent.
In the past five years, 60 percent of the women legislators were re-elected, the report said.
Women journalists take on PM on price rise
By IANS,
New Delhi : Women journalists cornered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the rising prices of food stuff during an interaction in the capital Friday.
During the meet with members of the Indian Women's Press Corps at the Hotel Taj Palace here, one journalist pointed out that the prices of pulses, rice and flour was lower during the National Democratic Alliance government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"I was told that the price of dal (pulses) has come down," Manmohan Singh responded, evoking titters in the all-female audience.
Teenager repeatedly raped by father, made pregnant twice
By IANS,
Lucknow: A 15-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh has accused her father of raping her for the last three years and making her pregnant twice, police said Thursday.
"The class 10 student, who is a resident of Mahadev Nagar in Aligarh district, alleged that her father forced her into an illicit relationship with him, threatening her with dire consequences," police inspector Udaiveer Malik told IANS over telephone from Aligarh.
Nand Kishore, who is absconding, is a lecturer at a college in the Sonbhadra district. A case has been registered against him, he added.
Woman to woman: Pratibha Patil to visit Britain Oct 27-29
By Dipankar De Sarkar, IANS,
London : President Pratibha Patil will visit Britain Oct 27-29 in a state visit showcasing the close ties between India and Britain, officials said.
"This is a visit that will reinforce the point that our relations are excellent," said Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Mukherjee after the government and the royal family announced the visit.
Chandigarh man gets death for sodomy, murder of 6-year-old
By IANS,
Chandigarh: A man, who sodomized and later murdered a six-year-old boy, was given the death sentence by a court here Friday.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Rahul Garg had Tuesday held Pappu Paswan guilty in a case of sodomy and murder of the six-year-old boy.
The entire evidence in this case was completed in a single day during which statements of 12 witnesses were recorded and cross-examined.
The victim, who went missing Feb 13 this year, was last seen with Paswan, the witnesses told the court.
UAE to launch educational campaign for women
By IANS,
Abu Dhabi:The United Arab Emirates' General Women's Union (GWU) has announced a new initiative to educate women about the legislations addressing and dealing with the issues concerning them, WAM news agency reported Wednesday.
The awareness drive titled "Know Your Rights" is part of the women's union's efforts to implement the National Strategy for the Advancement of Women, a joint initiative with the UNDP launched in 2006.
Women will man India-Pakistan border, come Friday
By Alkesh Sharma, IANS,
Amritsar : Indian women troopers are just a few hours away from creating history at the India-Pakistan border. Newly inducted into the Border Security Force (BSF), they will be the first lot of women to guard the international border in Punjab from Friday.
"All the 178 girls will be posted at the international border," BSF Punjab frontier deputy inspector general (DIG) Jagir Singh told IANS here Thursday.
Northeastern women sceptical of Delhi Police guidelines
By IANS,
New Delhi : Northeastern women and students in the capital are sceptical of the recently updated Delhi Police circular which talks about a zero tolerance policy to any crime against the community. Many fear that this will just be another document that hardly gets implemented.
In a bid to put a stop to all the cases of crime against the northeastern community in the capital, Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal sent a circular to his men, asking them to take prompt and serious action as soon as any complaint comes.
Women protest atrocities in Uttar Pradesh, caned by police
By IANS,
Lucknow: Women activists of the Congress party here were caned by the police Tuesday as they sought to raise the issue of "increasing atrocities on women" in Uttar Pradesh, party workers said.
State party president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and All India Congress Committee secretary Pervez Hashmi, who is in charge of the party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh, were among those who suffered serious injuries. Hashmi was hospitalised with a fractured lower limb, while Joshi received cane blows on her arm, a party worker said.
Woman complains to rights panel against Andhra legislator
By IANS,
Hyderabad : A woman in Andhra Pradesh Monday approached the State Human Rights Commission complaining that a legislator of the ruling Congress party was harassing her husband.
According to the complaint lodged by A. Dhanalakshmi, Congress party legislator from Chirala assembly constituency in Prakasam district A. Krishnamohan is threatening to get a criminal case booked against her husband.
Prioritise women’s empowerment, says Meira Kumar
By IANS,
New Delhi : As the bill seeking 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures of India is set to be tabled in parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Sunday said the nation should prioritise women empowerment as part of "our agenda and policy".
In her message conveying her "heartiest" wishes on the International Women's Day to be celebrated Monday, Meira Kumar said: "It is imperative that at this point in our time we prioritize women's empowerment as an intrinsic part of our development agenda and policy."
Women’s quota bill: Despite opposition, government firm
By IANS,
New Delhi : Even as Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Sunday launched fresh attacks on the women's reservation bill in its present form, the government said there was no option but to push forward with the legislation in the absence of a consensus.
The government has timed the consideration and passage of the bill in Rajya Sabha with the 100th year of international women's day Monday. The landmark legislation seeks to reserve 33 percent seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women.
Women’s reservation: Views for and against
By IANS,
New Delhi: Proponents of the policy of reservation for women state that although equality of the sexes is enshrined in the Indian constitution, it is not the social reality. Hence a radical piece of legislation in the shape of the Women's Reservation Bill was required to give a new direction to Indian politics just like reservation for backward castes over 20 years ago changed political and social equations in the country.
‘One hurdle down, many more ahead for women’s bill’
By IANS,
New Delhi : Activists Wednesday lauded the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha but said that it was just one of the many hurdles it will face before women get true representation in governance.
Manorama Bawa, patron of the All India Women's Conference (AIWC), said she anxiously watched the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday where the bill was passed by an overwhelming majority after two days of pandemonium.
Demand for woman president in BJP’s Madhya Pradesh unit
By IANS,
Bhopal : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which wholeheartedly supported the passage of the women's reservation bill in the Rajya Sabha, is now witnessing demands from women members in its Madhya Pradesh unit that the post of state president should go to one of them.
"Since the time of the Jana Sangh, the organisation is headed by men in the state. The time has come for the baton to be handed over to the fair sex," a senior woman party leader said on condition of anonymity.
Mahila Congress seeks 33 percent job quota for women
By IANS,
New Delhi: The Mahila Congress Tuesday urged Congress party president Sonia Gandhi to ask the government to bring a bill providing for 33 percent job quota for women in the central government and in the party-ruled states.
The Mahila Congress, a women's wing of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), also urged the Congress president to ask all party-led states to pass laws providing 33 percent reservation for women in government jobs.
All-party meet crucial to women’s bill, says Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi: With the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government expected to face hurdles in the passage of the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha, the Congress said Thursday that April 5 all-party meeting on the bill was "crucial".
"It's a crucial meeting. Let's wait for the outcome," Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said here.
Women disadvantaged in dual-income households
By IANS,
Washington : Women are still disadvantaged when it comes to dual income households, says a study.
Youngjoo Cha, a Cornell University doctoral candidate in sociology, finds that having a husband who works 50 hours or more per week can hurt women's careers.
Women have less time available to do paid work because they still are expected to do more housework and perform most of the caregiving responsibilities,
Cha's work looked at 8,484 professional workers and 17,648 non-professional workers from dual-earner families, using data collected by the US Census Bureau.
Woman raped, minor girl molested in capital
By IANS,
New Delhi: A woman was allegedly raped after falling unconscious and a six-year-old girl was molested in two separate incidents of sex crimes in the capital, police said Friday.
"A 24-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by Syed Saamir Ali, 28, resident of Bulandshahr, March 28. Ali and the woman had met at a mobile repairing shop in Nehru Pace a few days earlier and had become friends," a police official said.
Ali had served the woman cold drinks laced with sedative March 28 and raped her when she became unconscious.
Kashmir council no place for bill limiting women’s rights: Chair
By IANS,
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir legislative council Deputy Chairman Arvinder Singh Monday rejected the permanent resident (disqualification) bill that aims to deny citizenship rights to women marrying non-permanent residents of the state.
"The bill cannot be discussed in this house," he said.
"The legislative assembly is the appropriate forum to table the bill, not the council," Singh said giving a ruling over the bill tabled by Peoples Democratic Party's legislator Murtaza Khan on March 8.
Webby Award for video on Indian woman
By IANS,
New York : "In Silence: Maternal Mortality in India," a video about the life and death of an Indian mother, has won a Webby People's Voice Award, Human Rights Watch said.
The story of Kiran Yadav, a 25-year-old who bled to death while delivering her third child, was produced by Human Rights Watch with Magnum photojournalist Susan Meiselas.
Women MPs outshine men in parliament debates
By IANS,
New Delhi : Seventy-one percent of women MPs compared to 68 percent of their male counterparts participated in debates on various issues in the 2010 budget session of parliament.
But the participation by both men and women MPs was higher that the previous session, according to an analysis done by PRS Legislative Research, an independent think tank that tracks the functioning of parliament.
The 32-day budget session concluded Friday after it began Feb 22 with a month-long recess.
After UN speech, Lucknow girl to go green
By IANS,
Lucknow: While most children of her age look forward to playing with friends in summer vacation, 13-year-old Yugratna Srivastava, who made history by delivering a speech at a United Nations summit last year, has plans to green the city.
Srivastava, who appeared for Class 9 exam this year, will plant saplings in different neighbourhoods of Uttar Pradesh's capital.
"I always wanted to do something constructive during summer vacation therefore I decided to launch a plantation drive," Srivastava, a student of Saint Fidelis College here, told IANS over phone Saturday.
India’s oldest woman photojournalist recalls first I-Day shots
By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi : Her face crinkles into a smile that draws a fine mesh of crow-feet in the leathery folds of her skin. At 97, Homai Vyarawalla, India's first and oldest photojournalist, is still as spirited as she was in the 1920s when she shot glimpses of Mumbai life with her box camera and chronicled the Independence struggle in striking black and white compositions.
The story of Vyarawalla's life spans almost a century - older than that of independent India.
34,000 women paramedics go missing after Pakistan floods
By IANS,
Islamabad : According to the UN, around 34,000 women paramedical workers have gone missing from the flood affected districts of Pakistan, a media report said Saturday.
Saudi law allows only women clerks in lingerie shops
By IANS/AKI,
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has passed a new law that would allow only women salesclerks in lingerie shops.
Is Al-Qaeda preparing British women bombers?
By IANS,
London : Al-Qaeda is trying to recruit women for carrying out suicide bombings in Britain, parliament members have warned in a report.
Mukherjee to open meeting of women speakers of parliament
By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pranab Mukherjee will Wednesday inaugurate the seventh meeting of women speakers of parliament, which will exchange experiences on gender issues.
There’s much sex in politics here
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: Two cases, the Kozhikode ice cream sex case and the Suryanelli sex case have been frequently in the headlines in the state over the past decade and a half.
Lok Sabha concerned over women’s safety
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Lok Sabha Friday expressed concern over the safety of women in the country with Speaker Meira Kumar calling for equal rights for them.
Omar Abdullah targets Mehbooba on Women’s Day
By IANS,
Jammu : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lashed out at his rival Mehbooba Mufti for "playing petty politics" on women victims.
Meghalaya governor assures check on crimes against women
By IANS,
Shillong: Condemning crimes against women in Meghalaya, Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary Thursday said the government is adopting new strategies to tackle the issue.
Celebrating women’s power through extraordinary tales
(March 8 is International Women's Day)
A woman's ability to fight back is her biggest strength. As we will celebrate the many facets of women ahead of International Women's Day that falls March 8, the IANS book stack offers you extraordinary tales of triumph and memories. Take a look.
Irom Sharmila rejects Congress for AAP, continues fast
Imphal : Activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on a fast-unto-death since the last 10 years against alleged rights violations by security forces,...
Six convicted for gang rape in Meghalaya
Shillong: A fast-track court in Meghalaya Thursday convicted six people for the gang rape of an 18-year-old girl in December 2012.
Laston Marak, Tobath Sangma...
Women bank now in Meghalaya
Shillong: Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) Tuesday unveiled its 21st branch in the matrilineal state of Meghalaya.
Shillong branch, the first branch of the BMB in...
Entertainment Industries’ So Called Open Approach, a Reason for Crime Against Women
By Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi,
Commenting on the Editorial "The Message from Speedy Trials" of The Hindu dated 22nd March 2014 in the context of Mumbai Sessions Court's judgment in the Shakti Mills gang-rape case in which 4 accused got life imprisonment, Mr. Siddharth, an ordinary Indian man, raises valuable points. He says that these kinds of incidents will continue to happen unless we realize that the basic cause is the commercialization of lust brought about by films and pornographic industry. "Who dares to oppose them?"
Two JD-U women legislators campaign for BJP, RJD
Patna: Two women legislators from Bihar's ruling JD-U, one of them a former minister, are campaigning and seeking votes for the BJP and RJD...
Modi attacks Congress over women’s safety
Mumbai : BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Friday attacked Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the issue of women's safety in the country.
Raking up...
First woman Delhi chief justice to take charge Monday
New Delhi: Justice G. Rohini will Monday assume charge as the first woman chief justice of the Delhi High Court, 47 years after the...
Mamata, Jayalalithaa keen to block Modi as PM
By T.R. Ramachandran,
Since the assassination of Indira Gandhi on Oct 31, 1984, women politicians have steered clear of having a go at the high...
Interim bail to BSP MP in maid torture case
New Delhi: A court here Friday granted interim bail, till May 20, to BSP MP Dhananjay Singh, accused in the case of the torture...
Government to name ‘snoopgate’ judge by May 16, BJP dismissive
New Delhi/Shimla : The BJP and Congress Friday exchanged barbs on the 'snoopgate' controversy concerning the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat with union Law...
SC to hear Ramdev’s plea on clubbing of cases
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will Friday hear a plea by yoga guru Baba Ramdev seeking the clubbing together of all cases against him...
Normalcy returning though fear remains among people in Assam’s BTAD
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Guwahati: The fear of the bullet sounds which silenced their near and dear ones still persists in the hearts and minds even as Assam government takes measures to control the violent situation in Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD).
Swedish woman informed of her own death
Stockholm: A Swedish woman was informed by her insurance company that she had been dead for over a week following a mistake committed by...
Tribal woman killed in front of her children in Meghalaya
Shillong : A 35-year-old tribal Garo woman was shot dead in front of her children in Meghalaya by members of an outlawed militant group...
Woman gang raped inside UP police station, SHO nabbed
Lucknow: A woman was gang raped allegedly by four policemen inside a police station in Uttar Pradesh. The SHO was arrested Wednesday.
The incident took...
Saudi Arabia allows women to participate in municipal polls
Riyadh : A new law that allows women in Saudi Arabia to vote and contest in municipal elections has come into force, a media...
Maharashtra woman hurls slipper at Ajit Pawar, misses
Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) : A woman hurled a slipper at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Chamorshi village of the state Tuesday, but missed,...
Women Congress activists protest outside Jaitley’s residence
New Delhi : Hundreds of women Congress supporters protested outside Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's residence here Friday afternoon demanding an apology from him...
Women’s safety top issue in JNUSU election
New Delhi : With growing cases of crimes against women at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), most student organisations Wednesday outlined women safety as their...
Indian woman found dead in Oman
Muscat: An Indian woman has been found dead in her apartment in Oman's Sohar city, hours after having lost her daughter and husband in...
End violence against women, say Nobel peace laureates
New Delhi : Women Noble Peace laureates Monday called on the Indian government to take more decisive steps to end sexual violence in India...
Amla products to empower women in rural Bengal
Kolkata: A campaign has been launched to produce Indian gooseberry or amla sauces, candy, dried chips, pickle, jellies to provide an alternative livelihood for...
Woman saves Indian from Bangladeshis’ captivity in Baharin
Manama: An Indian, allegedly tortured and held hostage in Bahrain by five Bangladeshis for a paltry BHD800 ransom (about $2,000), was rescued with the...
Saudi women have $100 bn as bank deposits!
Riyadh : Disposable cash belonging to Saudi women in commercial banks has exceeded the 375 billion Saudi Rubles (about 100 billion dollars) mark, government...
Pomp, women’s power on display at Republic Day parade
New Delhi : More than the pomp, this year's Republic Day parade Monday will be remembered for women's power showcased during the two-hour event...
NHRC orders probe into abduction of woman by BJD MLA
Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha government to conduct a fresh inquiry by the Crime Branch into the alleged...
Doctor beaten after woman gives birth in ambulance
Kolkata : A doctor at a state-run rural hospital in West Bengal was thrashed by irate locals after a woman gave birth in...
Delhi girl Sukriti Gupta tops CBSE class 12 exam
New Delhi : Sukriti Gupta of Montfort School here on Saturday topped the class 12 examination of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE),...
Women key to US presidential elections: poll
By DPA,
Washington : Women hold an important key to winning the US presidential elections in November because neither Democrat Barack Obama nor Republican John McCain has yet won a majority of women voters into their corner, according to a poll.
Obama has won the support of 49 percent of women, while 38 percent are for McCain, according to the poll released Tuesday, commissioned by a coalition of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a female-oriented TV broadcaster, and hundreds of women's organisations.
Iran to produce special car for women
By NNN-FNA,
Tehran : Iran Khodro, the Middle-East's No. 1 car manufacturer, has unveiled a car specifically designed for women, with electronic parking sensors and a special jack making it easier to change a flat tire.
The car's internal design will be especially geared towards women and its exterior will be painted in softer, "feminine" colors, Iran Khodro announced.
An alarm system will warn drivers of flat tires and automatic transmission, navigation and entertainment systems will be installed in order to make the driving experience all the more pleasant.
Bishop stirs trouble after he adopts 26-year-old
By IANS,
Kochi : A bishop in Kerala has stirred controversy by adopting a 26-year-old woman, prompting the archbishop of the area to hold an inquiry after priests in his diocese made a complaint.
The issue of 58-year-old Kochi bishop John Thattumkal adopting a 26-year-old woman has been probed by the Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil of the Verapoly Archdiocese near Kochi and the report has been sent to the Vatican.
Women experience greater sexual harassment in balanced groups
By IANS,
Washington : Latest research clears misconceptions about women being sexually harassed only when they are a minority at the work place.
A study looking at 110 groups worldwide found that women, working in evenly matched groups, were more likely to be harassed than women in predominantly male or female groups.
In these situations, they were more likely to experience taunting, patronizing, and predatory behaviours.
Haryana to spread hygiene among rural women
By IANS,
Chandigarh : In order to spread health and hygiene among the rural women of the state, the Haryana government has decided to provide them with sanitary napkins at a price of Re.1 each.
Manufactured under the brand name Mukti by the Haryana Women Development Corporation, each sanitary napkin would cost Rs.2 but the state's health department will subsidize half the cost.
Haryana's Women and Child Development and Health Minister Kartar Devi said Wednesday that the focus of the campaign was to make sanitary napkins available easily to rural women throughout the state.
French woman found dead in Goa
By IANS,
Panaji : A French woman was found dead in a trailer parked near Vagator beach in Goa, while a man believed to be her companion was lying unconscious next to her, police said Monday.
The trailer, equipped with modern amenities including a mini kitchen, was found parked near Vagator beach, 25 km from state capital Panaji, Sunday. Police suspect it could be a case of drug overdose.
Pakistani women have miles to go in politics
By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan's parliament has a woman speaker, a woman is a federal minister and 74 women have been elected to the National Assembly. But thanks to the widely prevalent feudal system, women in three of the country's four provinces are not allowed to vote during elections.
Of the 74 women in the National Assembly, 14 were elected to the general seats and 60 to the reserved seats.
More grooms saying no to glasses for D-day
By Radhika Bhirani, IANS,
New Delhi : Women are not the only ones to fret about looks on their wedding day. Men too have joined the bandwagon - so much so that a majority of them prefer to discard their spectacles and wear contact lenses instead.
A survey by American eye care brand Bausch & Lomb reveals that 82 percent of men say they would opt for contact lenses on their wedding day.
The survey, carried out in association with market research company ACNielsen, was a quantitative study conducted across six metros on men aged 15-35 years.